Lin Yuan watched Wang Dong's puffed-up expression, a teasing glint flashing through his eyes. He withdrew the hand resting on her shoulder and shrugged innocently. "Alright, I'll wait."
Only then did Wang Dong let out a sigh of relief, though she still could not resist glaring at him. She turned her head away, the tips of her ears still burning red.
A quarter of an hour passed in the blink of an eye. Zhou Yi arrived at the classroom right on time. Seeing that all ninety-one students were present, she nodded. "We'll begin class now. The test just now was basically satisfactory. The vast majority of you completed the simple assessment of running. Huo Yu Hao, stand."
"Teacher Zhou." Huo Yu Hao swiftly rose to his feet and stood straight.
Zhou Yi said, "Report your Soul Power Level."
"My Soul Power is at level eleven," Huo Yu Hao answered respectfully.
At that moment, doubt appeared in the eyes of the students present almost in unison. After all, wasn't Shrek Academy's minimum admission requirement level fifteen?
"That's right. Huo Yu Hao's Soul Power is only level eleven," Zhou Yi said. "I'll only address this matter once. From now on, before he is eliminated, no one is allowed to question him about it again. He is a specially admitted student of the academy and did not need to undergo the entrance examination. However, that is the only exception made for specially admitted students. If he cannot complete the academy's assigned learning tasks, he will be eliminated just the same. Alright, Huo Yu Hao, sit down."
"Thank you, Teacher." Huo Yu Hao sat back down, unable to stop himself from breathing a sigh of relief.
Zhou Yi nodded, turned around, and wrote the two large characters "Attack" and "Defense" on the blackboard. Only then did she face the students again. "I know that most of you are dissatisfied with my punishment of making you run laps and expelling nine people. You merely didn't dare show it because of the pressure I put on you. I have no need to explain myself to you. Those with insight will naturally understand in time. Alright, class begins now."
"Attack and defense will be the subject of today's first lesson. Let me explain the principles of attack and defense for Soul Masters. Since ancient times, Soul Masters have been divided into many systems according to the different abilities of their Martial Souls. Some Soul Masters pursue extreme development in one direction, while others develop in a balanced manner. All kinds of cultivation methods have emerged one after another. Wang Dong, answer this. Among the various Soul Master systems, which are better at attacking, and which should lean more toward defense and support?"
Wang Dong glanced at Lin Yuan, rose to her feet, and answered without hesitation, "The Assault System, Agile Assault System, and Control System lean toward offense, while the Support System, Food System, and Defense System lean toward defense..."
Before Wang Dong could finish, Lin Yuan raised his hand to add, "Teacher, I think Wang Dong is right, but not entirely. The reason is Soul Tools. Their emergence has allowed Support System Soul Masters to possess considerable offensive power and made it so Defense System Soul Masters no longer have to passively take hits. Under the heavy firepower of Soul Tools, traditional concepts of attack and defense need to be reconsidered."
A trace of approval flashed through Zhou Yi's eyes as she gestured for him to continue.
Lin Yuan smiled faintly and spoke with ease. "First, the boundary between attack and defense is becoming blurred. A high-level Soul Tool Cannon is enough for a Support System Soul Master to pose a fatal threat to an Assault System Soul Master."
"Second, the rhythm of battle has been reshaped. Long-range fire suppression, electromagnetic interference, spatial lockdown... all of these make close combat more difficult, weakening the advantage of the Agile Assault System."
"Third, the strength of one's own cultivation has become the key to victory or defeat. Whoever can use Soul Power more efficiently will gain the advantage in a prolonged battle."
"Fourth, systematic combat has become mainstream. Individual strength is no longer the deciding factor. Team coordination, the arrangement of firepower, and tactical execution are what determine victory or defeat."
Zhou Yi nodded repeatedly as she listened, the approval in her eyes becoming increasingly obvious.
"Well said," she concluded. "In this era of rapid Soul Tool development, simply pursuing extreme individual strength is no longer enough to deal with complex battlefield conditions. The blurring of attack and defense can allow anyone in a Soul Master team to serve as an attacker. However, improving your own qualities is what will maximize your ability to survive on the battlefield. Unless Soul Tools one day develop to the point where they can completely replace your bodies, physical training and the selection of Soul Rings will remain the utmost priorities in your future cultivation."
"For the next three months, the main focus of my training for you will be physical conditioning. No matter who you are, what background you have, or how talented you may be, if you cannot pass my assessment after three months, you will leave just like those nine people before you. This morning's lesson ends here. I suggest you eat properly at noon. Physical training begins this afternoon. Class dismissed. Huo Yu Hao, come to my office."
With that, Zhou Yi turned and left. At that point, the morning dismissal bell had not even rung yet.
Huo Yu Hao got up and followed Zhou Yi out. Only then did the classroom atmosphere liven up. Wang Dong was still dwelling on being called "Little Dong'er," while Lin Yuan was surrounded by a group of classmates asking all kinds of cultivation-related questions.
"Lin Yuan, are you going to eat with me?" Wang Dong looked at Lin Yuan, who was surrounded by the crowd, and asked softly.
Lin Yuan nodded and placed a hand on Wang Dong's shoulder, his tone casual. "Come on, let's go together. My treat. Order whatever you want from the deluxe counter."
The tips of Wang Dong's ears reddened as she slapped Lin Yuan's hand away with feigned disgust. "Who wants you to treat me? I have money."
"Then you treat me." Lin Yuan immediately changed his tune, smiling innocently. "Also, I can eat a lot, so Little Dong'er should be careful."
The words "Little Dong'er" made Wang Dong's ears burn again. Her pink-blue eyes widened round, yet she did not dare retort. That "Little Dong'er" from class had already thrown her mind into disarray and nearly made her stumble over her answer. If she kept arguing, he might find another weakness to exploit. She gave a soft snort and headed for the classroom door, though her pace unconsciously slowed by half a beat. Only after Lin Yuan caught up did she speed up again.
The two walked side by side toward the cafeteria, drawing furtive glances from many students along the way. Lin Yuan's silver hair and purple eyes were already eye-catching, and Wang Dong's bright pink-blue hair made them look like figures who had stepped out of a painting. Passing girls kept turning back to look at them.
Wang Dong grew uncomfortable under the stares and deliberately moved a little closer to Lin Yuan. Lowering her voice, she said, "It's all your fault for walking so slowly and attracting so many people's attention."
Lin Yuan raised a brow and deliberately slowed down further. Seeing her slightly flustered expression, he laughed. "Obviously, it's because Little Dong'er is pretty. It has nothing to do with me."
"You!" Wang Dong was left speechless. She reached out to push Lin Yuan's hand away, but did not use any force, merely giving it a symbolic swat. "Say nonsense again, and I won't treat you!"
"Don't." Lin Yuan immediately put away his joking expression and followed her seriously. "I promise I won't talk nonsense anymore, alright?" Looking at Wang Dong's tense yet reddened ears, he secretly found it amusing. This little girl looked proud, but she was more easily embarrassed than anyone else. Teasing her was rather interesting.
The two soon arrived at the freshmen's cafeteria.
Lin Yuan headed familiarly toward the deluxe counter at the far left. Wang Dong followed behind and watched as he skillfully lined up six stainless-steel meal basins in a row. Her eyes widened. "You eat that much?"
The auntie behind the counter had long since become acquainted with Lin Yuan. She smiled and teased, "The little guy's here again? Is this little classmate your friend today? Want me to give you two some extra dishes?"
"Thank you, Auntie." Lin Yuan smiled and nodded, then turned to Wang Dong. "Little Dong'er, what do you want to eat?"
The words "Little Dong'er" made Wang Dong's cheeks heat up again, but she did not argue. She merely stepped up to the counter, looked over the dazzling array of dishes, and named several. She had grown up in luxury and had always been picky about food, but seeing the mountain of food piled in front of Lin Yuan, she could not help clicking her tongue. This was not eating—it was practically stocking up!
Once the food was served, Lin Yuan naturally led Wang Dong to a corner. With a light tap of his finger in the air, ice crystals instantly condensed into a table and two chairs. Surprise flashed through Wang Dong's eyes at his practiced movements, but she did not ask any questions. She simply sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and began eating in small bites.
Lin Yuan ate quickly but not crudely, finishing every bite cleanly. As he ate, he did not forget to place food into Wang Dong's bowl.
Wang Dong froze at his sudden feeding. Looking at the growing pile of food in her bowl, the tips of her ears reddened again. She instinctively wanted to refuse, but when she saw Lin Yuan's serious gaze, the words reached her lips and were swallowed back down. She could only silently pick up her chopsticks and take small bites.
Sunlight streamed through the cafeteria windows and fell across the two of them, making Lin Yuan's silver hair shine with a gentle glow and bathing Wang Dong's short pink-blue hair in warmth. The two, who had originally been at each other's throats, now found a strange harmony at the dining table. Even the air seemed filled with the faint fragrance of food and the lively vitality unique to youth.
After they finished eating, Wang Dong took the initiative to pay. Looking at the total on the bill, she could not help feeling a twinge of pain despite not lacking money. One meal from Lin Yuan had nearly cost her several days' worth of spending money. Yet seeing Lin Yuan's satisfied smile, she felt that perhaps it was not such a loss after all.
The two walked out of the cafeteria side by side when Wang Dong suddenly spoke. "Lin Yuan, why have I never seen your roommate?"
Lin Yuan paused for a moment, then smiled. "I live alone."
"Alone?" Wang Dong looked at him suspiciously. "Aren't the dorm rooms shared by two people?"
Lin Yuan shrugged. "I got lucky. My roommate never came to register, so the room was left empty."
Wang Dong narrowed her eyes suspiciously, clearly unconvinced, but she did not press further. A thought suddenly surfaced in her heart. She was not particularly fond of Huo Yu Hao, while she was full of curiosity about Lin Yuan, who always smiled yet possessed unfathomable strength. Wouldn't it be better to find an opportunity to switch dorms with Lin Yuan?
The moment that thought appeared, Wang Dong startled herself. She hurriedly looked away as if nothing had happened, but the tips of her ears quietly turned red.
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